No human is limited: Kipchoge lines for last marathon major in New York but promises more to come

When Eliud Kipchoge steps onto the starting line of the 2025 New York City Marathon, the world will pause to watch a legend in motion — perhaps for the last time.

At 40 years old, turning 41 next week the Kenyan great has hinted that this could be his final elite marathon, marking the end of a glittering 13-year career on the roads that includes 16 wins from 23 competitive marathons. For context, 11 of those wins have been at marathon majors, making him the most decorated athlete-male or female in the history of marathon majors.

“November, and it’s New York…It’s a place that has been on my mind for a long time,” Kipchoge told Olympics.com. “It’s time for me to go there and get a Seven Star before embarking on my new journey of running for other things—running for a purpose.”

The Seven Star Hall of Fame honors the runners who have completed the marked World Marathon Majors – Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City.

Kipchoge’s most successful Major destination to date is Berlin, which he has won five times, including two world record times.

But the thrill of new adventures doesn’t end there for the Kenyan, one of only three men to have won two consecutive Olympic marathons besides Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and East Germany’s Waldemar Cierpinski (1976 and 1980), who revealed his plans to take on new continents in the future.

“I will run in Antarctica!” he answered assuredly. “I now want to do that extreme thing that can make someone work hard…”

For Kipchoge, who has conquered every challenge from Berlin’s flat speedways to London’s tactical tests, the New York race represents both a farewell and a full circle. It is the only World Marathon Major he has never run — and one that completes his Seven Star dream.

Beyond New York, Kipchoge a 2:01:09 marathoner (his PB), set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon will not stop as he has more in store for the future: “I will run even 50km in Saudi Arabia.”

Kipchoge last competed at the Sydney Marathon in August, finishing ninth with his last win being the Berlin Marathon where he cut the tape in a time of 2:02:42 two years ago- also his last podium.

A Career Etched in Gold

Kipchoge’s story is one of serene mastery and relentless discipline. From his breakout as a teenage world champion over 5,000m in 2003 to his domination of marathons in the past decade, his record is a catalogue of excellence.

He is a two-time Olympic champion (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020), a four-time London Marathon winner, and multiple world records including his Berlin lifetime best of 2:01:09 that was later improved by countryman and the late Kelvin Kiptum with his 2:00:35 world record in Chicago in 2024.

And then there was Vienna — the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 2019 — where he became the first man in history to run a marathon in under two hours. Though not an official world record, it remains a defining symbol of human possibility.

“No human is limited,” he said after that run — a phrase that became his mantra and a global movement of belief.

Kipchoge is content with his career, embracing both the highs and lows. But still has one big regret: “Missing the world record for 5000m”.

At Paris 2024, he failed to finish the Olympic race, and has focused this year on working through that failure and continuing to push his belief in limitless human potential.

Currently, the average marathoner is in their 20s, and there is a large pool of talented runners competing for top honors. But Kipchoge is unperturbed and continues to command respect in the Majors, which speaks volumes of his brilliance.

“To still push at my age is really good, I am showing people that age is just a number,” he said.

Why New York Matters

Unlike the smooth asphalt of Berlin or the open boulevards of Tokyo, New York offers grit: bridges, climbs, and roaring crowds that make it more a battle of will than pace.

For Kipchoge, that’s exactly why it matters.

“Every race has its own story,” he said. “New York is about people, energy, and finishing something bigger than myself.”

Trained by long-time coach Patrick Sang in Kaptagat, Kenya, with the NN Running Team, the father of three (Lynne, Griffin, and Gordon) may be 40 years old now, but he still possesses the same hunger. Nothing less than a top-three finish in his first attempt will do in the Big Apple.

“I’m really ready to run well. I will be trying to be on the podium, [for me] it’s like any other serious, normal race,” he said. “I will fight to run in a good way on the streets of New York. It’s not about just participating, it’s about competition.”

In New York, Kipchoge starts as the fastest man in a field that includes his long-term rival Kenenisa Bekele, as well as former champions Abdi Nageeye and Evans Chebet.

Kipchoge wants to “complete his marathon legacy” before stepping back from elite competition.

A Farewell Worth Watching

When he takes off from Staten Island on that crisp Sunday morning, Kipchoge won’t just be running for victory. He’ll be running for legacy — for every Kenyan who has laced up a shoe because of his story, and for every dreamer who believes limits can be broken.

Whether he wins or simply finishes, New York will be his victory lap — a celebration of endurance, grace, and humanity.

And when he crosses that finish line in Central Park, one era of marathon running will quietly bow out — leaving footprints too deep for time to erase.